The Crimson Tattoo
by Sacred Sakura
Summary: Nami has a child! Who's the father? Each Mugiwara must face their own demons, including the issue of fathers... Pairing in the works. :D
1. Ch 1 Perfidy

_**The Crimson Tattoo  
**_**A One Piece Fanfiction  
****By Sacred Sakura**

**First Conceptualized: Early December, 2006  
****Written: 12/27-28/2006  
****Published: 12/28/2006**

**Rating: T  
****Genre: Angst (for now)  
****Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece or The Scarlet Letter. The story and any concepts/characters not original to either of these titles do belong to me, however.**

**Dedication: To Darkmaster2, Lord of the Shadows, and AR-whatever-your-penname-is. (Sorry, but I can never remember.) Thanks for hearing out my weird ideas and putting up with my obsessive otakuness!**

**A/N: This fanfic is VERY LIGHTLY based on The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne; it's an incorporation of its basic concepts (sort of) and the main One Piece characters.  
****Since I currently have writer's block on Tomorrow's Promise, I'm putting that aside for a bit to work on this fic and the others.  
****This fic takes place sometime after the Skypiea arc, before Enies Lobby. (I think; I haven't gotten that far in One Piece—Only as far as the end of the Jaya arc. I should get going on catching up, then….)**

**Don't expect an immediate update after this… I have writer's block on the next chapter…. Gomen!!  
****I hope this fic turns out okay! Please R&R!

* * *

**

**Chapter One: Perfidy**

They stared at her, their eyes shadowed with the different emotions swirling inside of their hearts and minds. Accusing. Angry. Confused. Outraged. Clueless. Uncertain. Saddened. Regretful.

But most of all, **betrayed.**

Then again, how could she blame them? This was the second time she had broken their trust; for some, the very first.

Robin. The only one who understood her exasperation towards the rest of her nakama. The only other woman on the _Going Merry_. The only person with whom she could have an intelligent and enlightening conversation. Her dear friend and confidante.

And she betrayed her by saying nothing.

Sanji. The cook who would succumb to her every whim and desire. The man who cherished her above all else, despite his womanizing habits. A fighter, a culinary artist, a man of honor.

Yet she never pushed him away. Never told him that pursuing her was hopeless.

Usopp. A terrible liar at best. An excellent sharpshooter, yet human—**normal**—like her. The only one whom she could really identify with before Vivi and Robin.

But like with Robin, she had told him nothing.

Chopper. The adorable reindeer doctor. They were more alike than they seemed. Both afraid of revealing their true feelings. Both having lost dear loved ones to the corruption of the world. Both inexorably drawn to Luffy's warm heart, despite the obstacles.

When she first began to contract symptoms, she had lied and told him that it was the water, the food—not of any fault of Sanji's cooking, of course—, not enough fresh air, stress from those bakayarou's antics and loudness.

Luffy. Her beloved captain. An idiot, a moocher, a gomu human, a strong upholder of his beliefs. All about determination and nakama. Endowed with the qualities of both an immature child and a wise, experienced man. Had accepted her for who she was as a person, as a friend—not as a tool to simply be used until he got tired of her or she could no longer serve her purpose.

Had she ever said "thank you"? Ever told him how much she appreciated his being there for her? Ever showed him her gratitude?

Only once. At Arlong Park. Never again afterwards.

For then it was all about navigating the Grand Line. All about surviving. All about helping Vivi. All about stopping Baroque Works and Crocodile. All about trying not to get captured by the Marines. Then they'd been distracted by Bellamy at Jaya. Offered to help Montblanc Cricket restore his ancestor's good name. And they'd somehow gotten themselves mixed in Skypiea's affairs.

She'd simply forgotten. There'd simply been no time.

And last of all was Zoro. An idiot with a poor sense of direction. Like Luffy, possessing inhuman strength and stamina. Determined, a sword otaku, overloaded with testosterone. He slept too much, the lazy bastard. He didn't give a damn about your sex, so long as you proved challenging to fight. Damn it, fighting was all he loved to do, and nothing else.

It was a wonder whether he'd ever felt affection towards anyone in his entire life.

She frowned. Where was that damn swordsman, anyway? 'Probably sleeping.'

She shook her head. It didn't matter. It was time for her to face the problem at hand. Time for her to explain herself.

Time to explain what the child of three weeks was doing in her arms.

The child she had given birth to.

* * *

**So…how was it? Please review!!!**


	2. Ch 2 Doubts

_**The Crimson Tattoo  
**_**A ****One Piece**** Fanfiction  
****By Sacred Sakura**

**Written: 1/20-21,27/2007, 5/31/2007, 6/1-2/2007  
****Published: 6/6/2007**

**Rating: T  
****Genre: Angst (for now)  
****Pairing: yet to be revealed  
****Disclaimer: I don't own ****One Piece**** or ****The Scarlet Letter****. The story and any concepts/characters not original to either of these titles do belong to me, however.**

**Dedication: To Darkmaster2, Lord of the Shadows, and AR1502599. Thanks for hearing out my weird ideas and putting up with my obsessive otakuness!**

**A/N: This fanfic is VERY LIGHTLY based on ****The Scarlet Letter**** by Nathaniel Hawthorne; it's an incorporation of its basic concepts (sort of...not really...not anymore) and the main ****One Piece**** characters.  
****Since I currently have writer's block on ****Tomorrow's Promise****, I'm putting that aside for a bit to work on this fic and the others.  
****REMINDER: This fic takes place sometime after the Skypiea arc, before Enies Lobby. (I think; I haven't gotten that far in ****One Piece****—only as far as the middle of the Skypiea arc…. I should get going on catching up, then…baka You Tube...)  
****Don't expect an immediate update after this… I have writer's block on the next chapter…. Gomen!!  
Please R&R! (... This chapter felt short to me...)  
**

* * *

**Chapter Two: Doubts**

_What do I say? What do I tell these people who are my 'nakama'? Do I tell them the full truth? Or only part of it?_

_It won't erase the fact that I __**betrayed**__ their trust. That I __**lied**__ to them, saying nothing about this child._

_What __**can**__ I say? What __**should**__ I say? How __**much**__ do I say?_

_Do I tell them who the father is, how this all began? Do I tell the __**father**__ who the father is? My child shouldn't have to grow up with only one of her parents—the other missing because I kept his identity secret. She shouldn't have to live out her childhood bereft of a complete family…like me._

_But __**should**__ I reveal who her father is? Would he even make a good father? Does he even __**want**__ to be a father? What if he decides to abandon us, unwilling to take responsibility for the girl who shares his very blood?_

_Damnit… It's so hard. So confusing. I don't know what to do, what to say._

_They're all looking at me now, expectant, waiting for an answer._

_But I don't know the answer._

_So I guess I'll start from the beginning. Apologize. And then go on from there._

_If there is a God who cares, I pray that he guides my words…_

…_and that he offers my child hope for the future._

_It's all I can do. It's all I can ask._

_Kami-sama...onegaishimasu. _

* * *

"I'm sorry." She gazed at them sadly, her arms trembling slightly around the small bundle that was her baby daughter. "I…I should have told you all a long time ago." 

Luffy scratched his head, puzzled. "Told us what?"

"About Nami-san's **baby**, of course!!" Sanji snapped at their dark-haired captain angrily. "Baka!!"

"No way!! Nami had a **baby?!?"**

"**Baka!!!"** Usopp and the blond cook yelled, simultaneously striking the straw-hatted boy of seventeen years. **"Of COURSE Nami had a baby!!! Where the hell have you been?!?"**

Nami wept silently at the idiocy of her captain. 'Luffy… You're making this way harder than it should be….'

"So what is the baby's name?" the dark-haired woman standing off to the side asked her, her countenance and tone serious.

'Robin…' Her chest tightened in panic, then relaxed as she realized that the jade-eyed woman's inquiry was simply one out of curiosity, not bitterness. Relieved to answer something so simple, Nami let out a gentle puff of air and smiled at her daughter, nuzzling the brunette child's downy head of rich, dark goldenrod. "Her name…is Kaiyume. And I…I will raise her by myself. Who her father is doesn't matter."

As she spoke these words, she realized that she accepted this.

It was what her heart believed.

* * *

"So." 

She froze. In the _Going Merry_'s passageway before her stood the muscular form of Roronoa Zoro, still trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

"You got a kid now, eh? Who's the lucky bastard?"

Her arms trembled. "None of your business," she spat, fighting the emotions swelling within herself.

"Let's get a good look at it, then." He leaned forward, the gold earrings in his left ear tinkling from the movement. "I've heard that you can tell who its parents are just by looking at its face and hair."

She stepped back, her expression a look of disgust. "Don't call my baby that."

"Eh?"

She could feel her voice tightening with barely controlled anger. **"Her** name...is **Kaiyume."**

"Okay..." A puzzled expression appeared on the green-haired man's tanned face. "Kaiyume, then. Oi, Kaiyume, do you look like your conniving cat of an okaasan here?"

Large hazel eyes that glowed a stunning lagoon blue stared up at the swordsman before Nami shoved Zoro out of the way with her shoulder and fled to her room.

Zoro stared after her for a moment before shrugging, then making his way to the kitchen to bum leftover food off of Sanji—and maybe a naptime snack, too.

* * *

**Several Months Later**

It was seeking another book to read from Nami's private library that led Robin to return to their shared room—and to a depressed Nami in pajamas moping in a corner, staring blankly at the most recent newspaper. Kaiyume sat on one of the beds, playing with her mother's navigational tools—a compass, a sextant, a handheld barometer, and some of her hand-drawn maps.

"Navigator-san...are you all right?" she asked tentatively, lingering by the door with uncertainty as she recalled her friend's dishonesty—as well as the sting of being left in the dark for over a year.

The redhead sighed, curling up into a fetal position. "Robin...do you think I'll make a fit mother?"

The dark-haired woman blinked, both surprised by the suddenness of the question and amazed by the younger woman's gall in ignoring her own blatant breach of trust. "What do you mean? Of course you will." She smiled, the mask of false cheerfulness automatically appearing on her face. "After all, you've had to act as a mother to the rest of the crew all this time, ne?"

"That's different. All I'd ever needed to do was yell, hit, and manipulate them, and even then they sometimes wouldn't listen."

Robin sweatdropped at the blatant truth of Nami's words.

"But with Kaiyume...I have to be gentle, understanding, know how to properly discipline her, monitor and teach her twenty-four seven." Nami buried her face in her arms. "I don't know how to do that. My mom...she never really got the chance to show me how." She smiled ironically into her knees. A sad, regretful smile. "I was too busy rebelling whenever she tried to be a parent."

For a minute her dark-haired nakama stood at the doorway, saying and doing nothing. She then stepped forward, slowly, reluctantly, and reached down to lay a hand on her shoulder. "You'll be an excellent parent, I'm sure." She made sure to hold her smile in place, willing it not to falter. "All you need is to love Kaiyume with all your heart; then you'll understand how to care for her."

Then, withdrawing her hand, she turned, about to leave.

"Kaasan, Tousan wa doko da?"

Both women froze—before whipping their heads around in Kaiyume's direction.

"Did she just...?" Robin began.

Nami paled. "Kaiyume—**What did you say?"**

"Tousan wa doko?"

* * *

"Okay, so tell me again—exactly **what** is this meeting for?" Zoro demanded. 

"I'm hungry," Luffy complained. "Sanji, give me some food!"

"Yosh!" Usopp stood, his hand clenched in a determined pose, as he prepared to divulge the extremely important purpose of this meeting of men.

"You just ate lunch, bakayarou!" Sanji snapped.

"This is the 'Super-Secret Let's Find Out Who's the Father of Nami's Baby Team'!!" Usopp declared proudly. "Our task is to uncover the identity of the as-of-yet-unknown pater of the mysterious child so-named 'Kaiyume'!"

"This is lame," Zoro snorted. "I'd rather take a nap."

Usopp ignored the swordsman's negative response. "I shall be the captain of this operation! Luffy, you're in charge of transportation and evasive maneuvers, like for getting us out of tight jams and making quick escapes!"

"Cool!" Luffy cheered, thoughts of hunger momentarily dropped by his easily distracted mind at the prospect of adventure.

"Zoro, you're in charge of primary surveillance and intelligence!"

Sanji snorted. "That's the worst possible job you could ever give the guy. He's gotten lost in the **john,** for crying out loud."

"Shut up, asshole cook!" Zoro shot the blond a glare.

"Uhh...not that kind of intelligence, Sanji. I meant gathering information that could help us discover the identity of Kaiyume's father. Anyway, moving onward... Sanji, you're in charge of supplies and diversionary tactics, meaning that you make us snacks and distract the female populace when needed."

Sanji blushed with pleasure at the thought. "Of course I shall serve lovely Nami-swan and Robin-chan with all the love my culinary skills can offer!!!"

This time it was Zoro who snorted—in laughter. "That job definitely suits the ero-cook, alright."

"I'm hungry!" Luffy complained, finally remembering his "empty" stomach.

"Shut your pie-hole, shitty swordsman!"

"Yeah? Well up yours, shitty ero-cook!"

"Marimo-head!!"

"Unibrow!!"

"I don't have a unibrow, Mold-for-Brains!!!"

"You're a one-eyed freak with girly hands!!!"

**"NANI!?!"**

As Sanji and Zoro began another insult contest that would predictably result in another fight between swords and kicking ability, Usopp sighed wearily and watched as Luffy joined in with sporadic bursts of, "I'm hungry! Sanji, give me food!" His Great Meeting was over...for today, anyway.

"Anou...what about me? What do I do?"

Usopp looked down to see a curious Chopper staring up at him. "Err...well..." The long-nosed boy thought for a moment. "Ah! I know! You can be our Head of Medical Affairs—in case Nami decides to hurt any of us...including me... Not that I'm afraid of pain or of Nami, of course!"

"Yosh!" the little reindeer cheered. "Sounds like fun!"

Before Usopp could respond, however, a frantic yell resonated throughout the ship.

**"KAIYUME!!! MATTE!!!"**

Both Sanji and Zoro ceased their squabbling. Hearts appeared in the cook's eyes. "Nami-swaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!! Would you like me to gladly retrieve dear Kaiyume-chwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan???"

**"KAIYUME!!!"**

The little toddler half-crawled, half-walked nimbly across the meeting room floor in the direction of the frozen men, halting only once she had reached them. Looking up at their faces, she asked, "Tousan da?"

Baffled expressions glued onto their faces until Nami and Robin came running in—whose appearance caused Sanji's face to pinken into hazy bliss as he called out in adoration. "Ahhhhhhhh!!! Nami-swan and Robin-chan look so lovely with their hair and clothes disheveled from chasing Kaiyume-chan!!! Mellorine!!! Mellorine!!!"

"Tousan da?" the young child continued to ask the men, persistent.

"K-Kaiyume...don't be silly..." Nami interrupted nervously, paling—which an ever-observant Robin noticed immediately. "None of these guys are your otousan..."

"Demo...kono otoko wa tousan da yo..." the child insisted.

Six pairs of eyes swiveled in Nami's direction, expectant. Was Kaiyume's statement true?

_'"Who her father is doesn't matter."'_

If it was, then Nami was wrong. It did matter.

Because if Nami had...**relations**...with one of the other Mugiwaras...

...then that would change her—no, **everyone's** relationship with each other...

...forever...

* * *

**So…how was it? Please review!!!  
****W00T!!! Review replies and a few clarifications!!!**

**"Okaasan" instead of "Mom":**** "Mom" didn't sound right coming out of Zoro's mouth. (SHRUGS)**

**"Kaasan" and "Tousan":**** These are the extremely informal (almost to the point of being disrespectful if it didn't come from a child's mouth) forms of "Okaasan" (mother) and "Otousan" (father) typically used by little children who haven't learned all the rules of respect and formality yet.**

**Kaiyume talking and sort of walking:**** Sorry, but I have absolutely no clue when a baby usually starts walking and talking, so please excuse the fact that Kaiyume may be talking coherently so early on... Just blame Nami's clever brains or something... As for the early walking, if it IS early...well...blame her dad...**

**"Demo...kono otoko wa tousan da yo":**** Translated, "But...this man IS my dad!" However, note that the correct form is "****Kochira**** no otoko wa tousan da yo"; "kore" is for objects near the speaker, while "kochira" is for both people and formal reference toward objects (also near the speaker). Kaiyume's just a kid, after all...**

**The Pairing:**** I shall never reveal before it is time to do so!!! Muwahahahaha!!! (beamz-san, God'sAngel-san, elyon 14340-san)**

**Nami's Pregnancy:**** My eighth-grade art teacher was pregnant, but you could barely tell!!! The same was in Nami's case. They didn't know Nami was pregnant until after labor. Sure, Robin had an inkling, but no proof... (Shironami-san)**

**Grammar: I pride myself in having good grammar. (iluvchocs)**

**Updating:**** Uh... I updated... (everyone)**


	3. Ch 3 It Wasn't Me, Was It?

_**The Crimson Tattoo  
**_**A ****One Piece**** Fanfiction  
****By Sacred Sakura**

**Written: 6/30/2007, 7/25/2007  
****Published: 7/25/2007**

**Rating: T  
****Genre: Angst (for now)  
****Pairing: yet to be revealed (evil grin) (singsong voice) Nothing is what it seems...!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****One Piece****. The story and any concepts/characters not original to this series does belong to me, however. Also, this fanfic is no longer based off of ****The Scarlet Letter**** by Nathaniel Hawthorne, but the "tattoo" in the title will still remain a central part later in the story, so no worries.**

**Dedication: To Darkmaster2, Lord of the Shadows, and AR1502599. Thanks for hearing out my weird ideas and putting up with my obsessive otakuness! Also, thanks to my reviewers! Your reviews give me hope. (cries from happiness)**

**A/N: I've updated as promised!!!  
****REMINDER: I need to catch up on my One Piece…baka You Tube... Now I have to endure slow scanlation uploads...baka dial-up... (cries)  
****Again, I cannot stress this enough: Do not expect an immediate update after this… What with juggling four or five other fanfictions with this story—not to mention AP summer homework, club planning, scholarships, college apps, SATs, etc.—I am an incredibly busy person. But I WILL promise this: THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE THE END OF AUGUST. Check my profile later this month for more specific update dates.  
****Please R&R!**

-------

**Chapter Three: It Wasn't Me...Was It?**

Sanji froze. He could've sworn that Kaiyume-chan was pointing in his direction.

Problem was, he was almost one-hundred percent certain that he had never touched his dear, beloved Nami-san.

**Almost.**

Because there **was** that one night.

The night that they partied at Alabasta, courtesy of the Nefertari family as hosts.

The night everyone became drunker than an inebriated Chopper after five glasses.

-------

_"Ahhhh, Nami-shhwaaaann!! You look sho lovely t'niiiight!!"_

_"Thanksshhh, Sannnji-kunnn..."_

_"Will shummmun tell dat sshhhitty cook t'shuddup?"_

_"Wwhhhheeeeeeeeeeee!!! 'I'mm duh piiiiirate kiiiiiiinnngggg!!! I rule duh woooorld!!! And dey're all iiiid'oooots!!! I'mm hunnngry...' Sannnji, where'sh d'meeeaaaat?"_

_"Luuuffyyyy!! Uuurushaaaaiiiiii yyooooo!!! Ommmae no utauuuu iiiiru ga daaaamme yooooo!!! I'mmm beeeetterrrrrr!!! 'Oooohhhh, Caaaaptain Uuuusshhopp iiish duh beeeesht caaaptainn innn duh wwoooooorrrllld!!! Laallaaaalllllaaaaaaaaaaa!!!'"_

_And all the while, Chopper was collapsed on the floor, passed out._

_"Oh my," said a concerned Vivi, observing the scene with a shocked Igaram. "We should probably get them to their beds."_

_As he helped the turquoise-haired princess tuck everyone into their beds, the bewigged man thought to himself with horror, 'What kind of people has Vivi-sama been associating herself with these past weeks?! Yes, they single-handedly took down Baroque Works, thus saving the future of Alabasta—but they're nothing more than lowly pirates who would take any excuse to drink!!!'_

_-------_

_Vivi's eyes shot open, her body suddenly tense. There was rustling in the room._

_'An assassin?!' she wondered, readying the Kujakki slasher beneath her pillow. Her light gray eyes narrowed as they strained to cut through the darkness._

_"Nnn...Usshopp...I need you t' fix my ClimaTact... It'sh not creatin' gold..."_

_"...Nami-san?" The turquoise-haired girl's shoulders relaxed. 'Oh...she must be sleepwalking...'_

_"Nnn...? Vivi...? Ah...I'm jush going out to—to—"_

_"Usopp-san's probably sleeping right now." Vivi smiled. "It would be better to tell him about the, ah, __**problem**__ with your weapon in the morning."_

_"Hmm... You're prob'ly right, Vivi. Shtill, I wanna catch shum fresh air..."_

_"All right." The younger girl crawled back into her bed. "If you need anything, though, just feel free to wake me."_

_"Thankssh, Vivi..."_

_-------_

_That night would be a blank for every one of the drunken Mugiwara Kaizokudan._

_Except for Nami, who would remember everything later._

-------

"Kaiyume, stop saying such strange and foolish things!" Nami scolded playfully, trying desperately to hide her apprehension and fear as she bent down to pick up the adorable toddler. "Honestly, what would possess you to accuse me of even **considering** going to bed with one of these idiots?!" She laughed, same old Nami.

The occupants of the cabin all sighed involuntarily with relief. Only Robin noticed that the redhead's gaiety was forced.

"Because I technically live with these guys, you probably confused them for your fathers," Nami suggested to her little girl.

Kaiyume blinked, confused. "But...my daddy..."

"Oi, Nami. What's it like to be a father?" Luffy asked the navigator curiously.

The red-haired girl immediately thought of Genzo, the only father figure she and Nojiko ever had. "I guess they care for their children, love them, play with them, and...love their mothers." She smiled sadly. Kaiyume's true father did not love her. He'd told her that countless times.

"Well..." Luffy thought for a moment. "Since Kaiyume doesn't have a dad...then why don't **we** be her daddies?" He grinned at his brilliant solution and looked to the other male members of the crew for support. "What do you guys think?"

Usopp sputtered, "Luffy!! Do you even **realize** just how much **responsibility** is involved in taking care of a child?!!"

**"Nami-san! Rest assured that your lovely daughter is in safe hands with me!!!"**

Zoro raised an eyebrow skeptically as he muttered, "As long as I don't have to do anything, I don't care. Just be careful that baka cook doesn't molest her or anything."

**"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!! HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE ME OF BEING CAPABLE OF DOING SOMETHING SO VILE, EH, MARIMO?!!"**

"What?! What are you talking about?!" Chopper demanded, blushing. "Me, take care of something as scary as a kid?! Shut up! Idiot!!"

"Then it's settled!" Luffy grinned. "Kaiyume, we're your daddies!"

Baffled but unafraid, the light-brunette child nodded in understanding and acceptance. If no one was going to tell her that she was right, fine.

She smiled.

Having five daddies would be way more fun than just one, right?

**-------**

**I hope the drunk parts were at least somewhat coherent. Please note that they are greatly exaggerated, for two reasons: to poke fun at drunk people, and to hide my ignorance of drunken behavior. Also, I was up at sometime past three in the morning typing that section up little by little because I'd been working on Calm Tempest right before... XD  
****Huzzah!!! Review replies and a few clarifications!!! (Dang...so many reviews... What did you all do, email each other the story?!? (goggle-eyed))**

**Luffy's singing****: Just plain randomness. A drunk Luffy is both scary and funny, though. (He's so cute when he sings! Kyaaa!)**

**Usopp's singing****: A mixture of English with Japanese because it sounded better in my head, our favorite long-nosed friend is saying (and singing), "Luffy! Shut up! Your singing sucks! I'm better! 'Oh, Captain Usopp is the best captain in the world! Lalala!'" Lame, I know, but it sounded better in my head.**

**flashbacks****: Don't worry, there'll be boatloads more in the future. They're coming in increments. (smile)**

**-------**

**KoloheSanji****—Well if that's the case, keep checkin'! And...yes...the father ****was**** incredibly drunk, as this chapter implied...**

**iluvchocs****—THE FATHER DOES NOT KNOW! (evil laughter) Thanks for the info! I appreciate it!**

**Sheri-chan****—Updated. (smile) As for whether your right...we'll see... (evil grin)**

**huntress, Koinu, J.T., ****saiyukifan526****—Continued. (smile)**

**dark-and-deadly, catho, lelathesa, Dea-Jasmine-Gemini, OneDreamADay, sempai-sama****, (anyone else I missed)—Thanks! Updated! (smile)**

**God'sAngel****—Green Tea Pocky, and we'll start negotiating...**

**Alastair****—I bother with the Japanese because it sounds normal to me. (I have an A-plus in Japanese III and am going on to AP IV. I'm an otaku. So sue me.)  
Nami stopped wearing belly-showing clothing once the bulge appeared. My teacher was of medium height, and her baby was normal weight. I understand your skepticism, though.**

**komikero, Nehszriah****—Kaiyume's a prodigy...yeah...that's it... (cough cough)**

**wheathermangohanssj4****—Fathership...I'm not allowed to reveal that yet. Nami would kill me. XD Very perceptive of you on the 'pursuing' part. (smile)**


	4. Ch 4 Problems Arise

_**The Crimson Tattoo  
**_**A ****One Piece**** Fanfiction  
****By Sacred Sakura**

**Written: 8/25-30/2007  
****Published: 8/30/2007**

**Rating: T  
****Genre: Angst (for now)  
****Pairing: Nami still won't tell  
****Disclaimer: I don't own ****One Piece****. The story and any concepts/characters not original to this series does belong to me, however. Also, this fanfic is no longer based off of ****The Scarlet Letter**** by Nathaniel Hawthorne, but the "tattoo" in the title will still remain a central part later in the story, so no worries.**

**Dedication: To Darkmaster2, Lord of the Shadows, and AR1502599. Thanks for hearing out my weird ideas and putting up with my obsessive otakuness! Also, thanks to my reviewers! Your reviews give me hope. (cries from happiness)**

**A/N: Okay, now this chapter is when things start to get interesting. Heh heh heh... Next update? Uhh... think "October" or "November"...**

**-------**

**Chapter Four: Problems Arise**

"I still can't believe I'm twenty-three and already have a kid," sighed the red-haired young woman sadly. Sadly because despite her fashionable attire of a slim white blouse over a black lacy cami and denim miniskirt, she had to babysit a five-year-old instead of going clothes shopping with Robin. Not that Robin really shopped for clothing so much as for books, but that wasn't the point.

She sighed again.

"Is something bothering my dear Nami-swan?" lovingly called out Sanji from the foot of the deck stairs. His expression darkened. **"Did one of those shitty bastards harass you again?"**

"No, Sanji, it's nothing like—" She stopped midsentence as an idea came to her. "Actually, Sanji-kun, my day would feel ten times brighter if you would do just **one teensy thing **for me."

"Anything for you, my sweet Nami-san!" cooed the love-blind blond.

"Take care of Kaiyume, will you?" said the redhead breezily as she made her way down the steps, depositing the toddler in the cook's arms. "Thanks, Sanji-kun," she added, delicately placing her hand on the man's shoulder.

"It is my never-ending pleasure, my sweet!" sighed Sanji happily, melting into a glob of bliss at the girl's touch.

Zoro snorted from the spot on the edge of the deck where he had been sleeping. "Moron. Hasn't he figured out by now that she's only using him? I mean, come on, it's been almost six years..."

The dark-haired woman standing beside him smiled. "Well, they do say love is blind."

"Kaiyume-chan!!!" called out the blond cook, swinging the child up into the air. "What game shall we play today?!!"

The swordsman snorted again. "I know one thing for sure: I'll never be reduced to that guy's level. **Ever."**

"Oh, really?" A knowing smile played on the woman's lips as they watched Nami drag Luffy and Usopp through the sprawling town. She knelt down and leaned forward so that her jade eyes were level with his. "And just how sure are you about that?"

"Completely." He glared at her. "Now quit messing with me, woman, and let me go back to sleep." He turned away and immediately began to snore.

Her ambiguous smile made no move to change as she slowly stood.

Couldn't anyone see? See that she, too, felt loneliness of the heart?

Yes, Luffy-senchou had known that she desired companionship. So he had allowed her the honor of joining the crew. And she had made friends, gained true nakama.

But what he hadn't known, what no one knew...was her desire for something **more.**

She walked away from the swordsman, toward the blond blissfully playing charades with the little girl. Sanji was currently mimicking a certain proud long-nosed person, to which the adorable child answered, "Daddy Liar!"

Sanji did a doubletake as he fell to the floor. "'D-Daddy'...?" he repeated, utterly flummoxed.

The dark-haired woman, curious, knelt to speak with the young girl. "Kaiyume-chan," she asked gently, "why did you call Usopp-san 'Daddy'?"

Kaiyume stared back with those odd hazel-lagoon blue eyes of hers. "Isn't Daddy Liar my daddy?"

**"That damn bastard Usopp!!!" **yelled Sanji, leaping from the deck, furious. **"How dare he touch my precious Nami-san!!! Why, I oughta****—"**

"And aren't Daddy Luffy, Daddy Shitty Swordsman, and Daddy Crappy Cook my daddies too?" added the young girl.

**"—HUG MY PRECIOUS SUGAR PLUM, WHOM I LOVE SO DEARLY!!!" **exclaimed the blond cook, sweeping the child up in his arms again. **"KAWAII MELLORINE!!!"** It somehow seemed to escape Sanji that Kaiyume had just given him a title of "Crappy Cook."

"What about Franky-san? And Chopper-kun?"

Kaiyume, ignoring Sanji's loud embrace, replied, "Uncle Franky's too old to be my daddy. And Cousin Chopper can't be my daddy. He's a reindeer."

The dark-haired woman smiled at the child's logic. "And what about me?"

Kaiyume pointed. "You're Aunt Robin."

The child then glared—or seemed to glare—at such named woman. **"You're too old for any of my daddies."** To which the dark-haired woman sweatdropped and Sanji froze in shock.

"K-Kaiyume-chan!!" protested the cook. "What are you saying?!"

Kaiyume was as blunt as could possibly be for a child of five years. And her words struck Robin's heart like a steel arrow. **"I don't like her."**

**-------**

_"Ahhhh!!!_ That was so refreshing!!!" called out Nami as she burst through her bedroom door, carrying an ungodly number of shopping bags in her hands and in cheerful spirits. "Nothing like shopping to make a girl's day!!!"

She had been about to skip to her bed and try on clothing for the fun of it when something stopped her. Or rather, some**one.**

This mysterious person stood in the shadows of her room, silent. Yet their presence was unmistakable.

"Who are you?!" Nami demanded, furious that someone had trespassed in **her room.** "What the hell are you doing in my room?!"

She couldn't see the man's features, but his smirk was obvious. As was the rope that had suddenly appeared in his hands.

'Oh. Shit.'

**-------**

Anyone entering the _Thousand Sunny_'s galley an hour before before the sun had reached its zenith would have found a cook at work in all his magnificent culinary glory. Smooth, cared-for hands preparing food with expert dexterity—washing, chopping, slicing, mincing, measuring, seasoning, sauteing, combining, blending, and adjusting the heat. The sleeves of his blue shirt, rolled up so as not to interfere with the labors of his santoku, chef, and other various knives of his trade. Black dress slacks, dress shoes and tie to accent an air of professionalism and class. Blond hair falling over his left eye, a casually lit cigarette—complementing his overall look with suave coolness.

Consequently, the savory and enticing aromas of quality cooking would, inevitably, draw unwanted company. Namely, Luffy—who right at that moment burst through the door demanding food.

"C'mon, Sanji," wheedled the dark-haired boy pleadingly. "Gimme a taste..."

A vein throbbed in Sanji's temple, irritated that he had to go through this harassment multiple times every single day. "Hell no!! This food's for Nami-san, Robin-chan, and Kaiyume-chan!! If you want lunch, it's on the table over there!!" He jerked a thumb toward the table behind him, atop which were splayed dishes and dishes of various courses.

"MEAT!!!" And thus, the dimwitted captain with a bottomless appetite commenced attacking the pile of food with frightening gusto.

"Baka," snorted the blond as he took up two trays from the counter and headed for the deck outside.

As usual, the azure skies were cloudless, the turquoise waves for the most part complacent, and the golden sun shining as bright as ever. The _Thousand Sunny_'s deck inhabitants, too, were in their usual positions. Zoro leaned against the railing, dead asleep, his swords propped up beside him. Usopp worked on another one of his odd yet useful inventions, Chopper his admiring audience. Seated on a chaise longue was Robin, deep within the pages of yet another volume from Nami's library. Franky, sprawled in the middle of the deck, was working on another blueprint for something, probably a new weapon. Amid Nami's orange trees played Kaiyume, experimenting with a sextant and watching a compass needle react crazily to the Grand Line's magnetic fields.

"Robin-chan! Kaiyume-chan!!" called out the cook, enraptured by the dark-haired woman's mature beauty and the child's adorable cuteness. "Lunch is ready!!"

And yet something was off. Some**one** was missing.

"Robin-chan, have you seen Nami-san?"

Zoro woke. "Oi, is that lunch?"

Robin smiled at the food yet replied uncertainly, "No...not since she returned from shopping an hour ago." She frowned, concern showing in her jade eyes. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"Nami's probably trying on her new clothes right now," Usopp piped up, removing his goggles. "She sure looked pretty happy coming back."

"Robin-chan, while you and dear Kaiyume-chan enjoy this Lunch of Love I have prepared for you, I shall bring Nami-san up to join you!" And with a lovestruck flutter, Sanji went floating down the stairs.

"What a moron..." Zoro muttered as he swiped a sandwich from one of the trays.

"Hey!!" Usopp yelled, outraged. "I'm hungry too, you know! Save some for me!!"

"Damn, no cola," grumbled Franky, looking over the selection. He headed for the galley, from which familiar munching sounds could be heard. "Hope Luffy didn't drink it all already..."

**-------**

Sanji pranced down the dim corridor, humming a tune. He couldn't wait until his dear, precious red-haired navigator tasted the delicious sandwiches he had made for lunch. The very thought of seeing her angelic face brighten with tastebud-tingling satisfaction made him giddy with pleasure.

Arriving at the door of Nami's room, he called out, "Ohhhh, Naaaaami-saaaaaan!! Lunch is ready!!!"

No response.

He knocked. "Nami-san?"

Still no response.

Worried, he knocked on the door again. "Nami-san, I shall be entering your room..."

To say that no licentious thoughts involving Nami half-dressed—or even naked—entered Sanji's mind would be an absolute lie. Yet modesty and respect for the woman he desired led him to open the wooden door slowly to allow her time to quickly cover herself.

Yet upon opening the door, the blond was shocked to find the room in utter disarray. Furniture had been upturned, books and papers scattered everywhere. The bed was shoved into a crooked angle, the bedsheets and pillows tossed about in an unbecoming manner. Clothes had been dumped all over the floor.

And there was no navigator in sight.

**-------**

**Comments, explanations, etc. You know the drill.**

**time discrepancy****: Yes, yes, I know, this story's becoming more and more AU. Then again, considering the fact that Nami had a baby in the first place, it was already AU from the very start, wasn't it? We'll just say that this chapter occurs long after the events of Enies Lobby and Thriller Bark, and work our way from there.**

**Sanji ignoring Robin****: What can I say? Kaiyume's incredibly adorable. What do you expect, her being Nami and someone-else-attractive's daughter, after all? Kawaii... (heart)**

**Kaiyume's apparent dislike of Robin****: Yes, well, this was a surprising turn of events, especially for me. I didn't expect this to happen. I didn't PLAN for this to happen. It just happened while I was typing... Well, we'll see as the story progresses how this will affect Robin and Kaiyume's relationship with each other and the rest of the crew...**

**mocking Sanji****: Yes, I am. He's so pathetically lovestruck, I can't help but make fun of him.**

**Nami kidnapped****: To use a time-worn phrase, "And so the plot thickens..."**

**fathership****: Sorry I'm killing you guys here, but I'm not ready (and Nami's not ready; duh, she's just been kidnapped) to reveal Kaiyume's father yet. However, some of you are pretty close! (Your deductions need some more work, though...)**


	5. Ch 5 Lost in Turmoil

_**The Crimson Tattoo**_**  
A ****One Piece**** Fanfiction  
By Sacred Sakura**

**Title Conceptualized: 2/24/2008  
Written: 12/29-31/2007, 2/23-24/2008, 3/1-2/2008  
Published: 3/2/2008**

**Rating: T  
Genre: Angst (for now)  
Pairing: Nami's been kidnapped, so of course she's in no position to tell.  
Disclaimer: I'd be the happiest otaku in the world if I owned ****One Piece****. (Sadly, I don't.) BUT the story and any concepts/characters not original to this series do belong to me.**

**Dedication: To Darkmaster2, Lord of the Shadows, and AR1502599. Thanks for hearing out my weird ideas and putting up with my obsessive otakuness! Also, thanks to my reviewers! So many reviews...I can't thank you all enough...**

**A/N: I AM SO SORRY THAT THIS UPDATE IS INCREDIBLY LATE!!! Please forgive me…**

**But honestly, telling/yelling at me to update doesn't exactly help. Plus, it's incredibly rude.**

**

* * *

****Chapter Five: Lost in Turmoil**

The absent navigator's room was a mess. Not only was the bed at an abnormal angle, but a large, jagged crack ran through the chestnut bookshelf Nami had lovingly purchased weeks before. The precious instruments of her trade were scattered among the torn remains of what had once been illustrious volumes leafed in gold. Fragments of bloodstained glass littered the entire room, trace evidence of the window that had been smashed out, and the struggle that had followed.

The raven-haired woman bent down to pick up yet another upturned book from the wooden floor. She frowned, perturbed by the volume's lack of a title. 'I don't recognize this at all. Was this truly Nami's?'

Then she chided herself. **'**_**Is**_ Nami's. She is only **missing**, not dead.'

Pocketing the small black book, she shook away the dark thoughts that threatened to invade her mind and continued to inspect the room's contents. Right now, she needed a distraction, anything that could take her mind away from the tempting whispers that promised what she knew she could never have.

"… Where's Mommy?"

"Ahhh! No! Kaiyume-chan! Wait!"

The brunette child entered the room, a look of perturbation in her jade eyes. "Mommy…? Where are you…?"

Robin turned, still kneeling, apprehension evident on her face. Still bothered by the girl's words abovedeck, she was uncertain of what the child's reaction would be.

"**Oh. It's you."** Her heart sank. **"Where's Mommy?"**

She raised her aqua eyes to the blond man's dark ones. 'What should I say?' they queried.

The child's voice—less harsh now, and more urgent—brought her gaze back down. _**"Where's Mommy?"**_

"She's gone." A gasp escaped from Robin's lips. She hadn't meant to say that!

"'Gone'? Gone **where?"** Kaiyume's voice started to develop a high quality, almost as if frightened. "She just got here! With tons of bags of clothes! Mommy would **never **leave after a shopping spree!"

"I mean that she has gone missing." Robin's voice, though already naturally low, fell further, almost an octave. "I believe she has been kidnapped."

The shock, confusion, anger, and other myriad emotions that swirled in Kaiyume's lagoon gaze would haunt Robin for many nights to come.

**

* * *

**_A small girl wanders across the field, searching and searching. Where? Where is…?_

_Black and white. Darkness, for a short time, tamed by moonlight. Dark, high grass everywhere. Where? Why can't she find…?_

_A voice, low and musical. Slender yet strong hands slipping under her shoulders, raising her up into the night. Into infinite glimmers of light._

_Where? Where is…? Where could…?_

_Tears. Infant trickles of water glowing in the moonlight. Falling. Mingling. Frightened sobs._

_Where? Where is papa? Where did papa go? Where…?_

_A lamenting sigh in reply._

_Gone._

**

* * *

**"D-D-Dad-ddy L-Luf-ffy," the child sobbed, clinging desperately to the young captain's red vest, "W-we h-have to f-find Mom-mmy…." 

Only Kaiyume's stricken expression stopped Luffy from scrunching his face in disgust at the mixture of tears and snot dampening his clothes. "Aw, Kaiyume-chan, of course we will. We'd be totally lost without her."

Yet as the dark-haired boy placed a comforting hand on the child's sandy hair, the salty mess in his clothes reminded him of the scent of a quick spray of seawater. And a faint, nearly indiscernible memory….

**

* * *

**_The woman glances warmly toward the sleeping child in his cradle and smiles softly before plunging into a series of violent coughing fits. The lily-white handkerchief in her trembling hand is pressed hard against her mouth, stained red as her lungs shriek for air and her throat struggles against a viscous blend of phlegm and blood. Her other hand digs deep into the bedsheets, futilely compensating for the pain that tears through her body with every shudder of breath._

"_Mayor… Makino… Please…come…quickly…"_

'_Dragon…why…'_

_She gasps, her eyes widening as no breath escapes her lips. Her body shakes._

'…_did you…have to…'_

_The child stirs, scratches his rumpled dark hair, and sits up. He peers through the rails of his cradle and mumbles, "Mommy?"_

"_Mommy?"_

'…_leave…'_

_Her heart stops. Her body sways, then falls back._

"_**MOMMY!!!"**_

_The bloodstained handkerchief falls to the floor with her unspoken thought._

'…_us?'_

**

* * *

**"Don't worry, Kaiyume," murmured the blond cook, stroking the bereaved child's hair. "You're not alone. You mother may be gone for a little while—just until we find her—but you still have us." 

Kaiyume gave a slight nod. "You're right." She hesitated as a thought crossed her mind. "Aunt Robin is really smart. She'll find Mommy, right?"

"Of course." He kneeled to hug the daughter of the woman he loved. "None of us would ever allow you to be separated from Nami if we could help it."

An expression of doubt crossed her face. "You sure?"

"Yes." He held her close even more tightly. "I'm sure."

**

* * *

**_Yelling. Angry curses. The flinch-inducing sound of shattering glass._

_The boy huddles in a corner of the dark closet. He is unable to come out because the door is locked. But he doesn't want to come out. Not now._

_Not while that man, that damn bastard, is still out there. Still mercilessly beating his mother to death. Still breaking everything within his drunken range. Still destroying every aspect of his cursed life._

_He hates that man._

**

* * *

**She stirred awake. Her first sensation was one hell of a headache. The second, a major pain in her ankle. Third, that she was most definitely not on the _Thousand Sunny_. Or even the sea, for that matter. 

She opened her eyes and was greeted by white silk sheets, a white bedspread, and white canopy curtains circling the four-poster bed. The mattress beneath her was so heavenly soft and comfortable that it should have been illegal. The same went for the five pillows at the head of the bed.

'Where the hell am I?'

A sudden, light touch along her arm alerted her senses, and she quickly scrambled to the other side of the bed. Her actions were welcomed with low laughter.

"I'm glad to see that you're awake," chuckled the young man seated casually on the edge of the bed opposite her. "How was your journey?"

Her eyes narrowed. Fair, unblemished skin. Flaxen, aureate hair. Blue eyes lined with long eyelashes. White shirt, black slacks, black dress socks. A casual manner, almost too suave. A powerful gaze. Too perfect.

She immediately distrusted this man.

"Aside from a headache that makes me want to murder you, I'm fine, thanks," she replied dryly. "Now who the hell are you?"

His smile shifted deeper, his gaze steady. "I am Erisu. Erisu Shikai. It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Nami of the Mugiwara Kaizokudan. A pleasure indeed."

**

* * *

****Comments, explanations, etc. You know the drill.**

**flashbacks:** I wanted to keep them simple. Even so, reading them almost broke my heart… The rest of the Mugiwara crew will have their flashbacks too. (I didn't want to put Usopp and Zoro's flashbacks in here yet because the particular ones I am using would not have been appropriate enough for this chapter's mood.)

**red herrings:** WATCH OUT!

**Erisu Shikai:** There really is no significance to his first name; it just sounded cool. But his last name, on the other hand…

**I know this is an awfully short fic, but I need to update everything like crazy while I tread a nice and light puddle of homework. I can feel the wave coming closer…and closer….**

**NEXT UPDATE: Just keep checking my profile once or twice every month, as I'm unbelievably busy these days and can't promise a reliable update. I should be able to get my priorities straightened out a **_**little**_** by mid-April before plunging into a new load of stuff until June.**


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